Fear

Librarians are kind of annoying sometimes. Several years ago I found this quote that I loved, and it was attributed to Nelson Mandela. I thought it was quite profound, and it became a signature thought for me, something that I meditated on from time to time. However, something prickled my brain (sounds dangerous, I know) and I checked the attributes. I found out it was actually spoken by Marianne Williamson. Now I'm not really a Marianne Williamson fan, as some of her thinking reminds me of New Age philosophies, and she rarely references Jesus as I know Him. She talks about Divine Order and being a Child of God, and Unity, but there is no Saving Grace in what I read from her. But nevertheless, I think this comment has wisdom and magic in it.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

I am involved in a project right now that is making me feel very inadequate, and yet I think I am supposed to discover that I might just shine in this endeavor. And by shine, I mean that I might just honor God with the gifts that He's given me to use. Furthermore, I have an inkling that my God, the Lord Jesus Christ, might be glorified and magnified in this process. So, let me just ask for your prayers, and your support, and ask that all things work together for His good.